Not only did the South Puget Sound Community College student write a song about the flashy 1980s action hero, he threw on some gold chains, sported a mohawk and starred in a music video.

"The whole song is about Mr. T. and about how he pities the fool that don't go to school," said Spencer, whose video will be screened this weekend during the second annual "What You Got?" youth film festival at the Capitol Theater in Olympia.

"It was a lot of fun to do."

The film festival, which runs Friday and Saturday, will feature about 60 short films produced by young people from all over the country, said festival coordinator Mike Cousino.

It will be made up of a mix of animation, music videos, documentaries and experimental work. Saturday's lineup will include an epic adventure, a full-length science-fiction farce and a thriller.

Viewers will be able to vote for the "Best of the Fest." The winner will be taken on the road this spring and presented at youth media organizations, theaters and schools, Cousino said.

Although the films were made by young people, the festival is for all ages. Adults in attendance are sure to get a lesson in youth culture, Cousino said.

"They'll get a wide variety of entertainment, as well as just an opportunity to see what teens are thinking about and processing and experiencing around the country," he said.

In addition to the music video, Spencer submitted two short films, including a documentary about Camp Sparky, a program for children and adults with special needs in Bremerton. The other is an educational film, in which he and his girlfriend, Stella Rivet, 21, play superheroes whose special powers are imagination and creativity.

Online Extras

SCHEDULE

Friday 7pm

Money Problems 9:40 mins. NYC 2004

DCTV's Pro-TV: Stephanie Adams, Sandra Appiah, Mary Betances, Gilberto Fransisco, Anthony Golsalves, Amber Howze, Winston Lu 16

16 year old students explore themes of money problems and how it impacts their daily lives. DCTV Pro-TV reina@dctvny.org

Stop the Cycle of Abuse :20 mins. New York City 2003

Global Action Project

This PSA creates a darkly voiced fairy take - a place where happy endings are only possible if emotional and societal change is implemented Global Action Project christine@global-action.org

Bullied to Death 6 mins. Olympia 2005

Ian Bracken 18

Silent movie about 2 bully victims who end up killing each other rather than the bullies. antiheroripper@aol.com

Freedom and Democracy 4 mins. San Juan Pueblo, NM 2004

Finn Yarbrough 18

Exposé of constrictive school rule. A thought provoking view of administrative opinion based law. nmocc181@hotmail.com

2 Portraits of Brooklyn Youth 13:30 mins. Long Island, NY 2004
Alex Morales, X-Tina Sosa, Helen Park 17/18

An exploration of identity through videomaps, place, and belonging. helen@rilkeanheart.org

8pm Band

The Freakouts Tacoma 14

Punk, garage, surf and rockabilly

8:45pm

Un[box]ed 25:30 mins. Seattle 2005

Reel Grrls 2005: Alison Bartram, Halley Cody, Rachel Fenske, Fiona Gleason, Monique Hamilton, Anjuli Hammond, Maya Hernlund-Scott, Lilah Horwitz, Clara Lawryniuk, Sarah Lovrien, Brooke Noel, Roya Nourani, Thelma

Odoh, Rosie O'Shea, Ariel Perkins, Zoe Saurs, Ronnisha Spinks, Desiree Vaughan 14 to 18

Based around the common theme of media for positive social change, this is a collection of 10 short films produced by 14-18 year-old girls in the Reel Grrls program in Seattle. Specific interpretations of the theme vary greatly from piece to piece, with films covering the need of young women to create their own identities, personal reflections on world violence, a look at where our environmental destruction will lead us, the struggles faced by a girl adopted by two lesbians, and many more. The last piece, a group project, shows the filmmakers themselves speaking their interpretations of the Girl's Bill of Rights. Reel Grrls www. reelgrrls.org

9:30pm Band

Murder the CatCentralia

Jake Kirby 16 Aggressive electronic music.

10:15pm

Mister T 3:45 mins. Olympia 2003

Devin Spencer 21

Pitying fools since the beginning of time Millennium T a.k.a. Devin Spencer stars in a music video he wrote about icon Mr. T. mistert2k@hotmail.com

The Essay 7:40 mins. Tacoma 2005

Owen Bates 14

This is my first film, short or otherwise. It details one of the comical human conditions: procrastination. How will this affect Anthony Crawford's school essay and also his friendship with John Jacobsen? gopherguy500@gmail.com

Mailmen 17 mins. Olympia, 2005

Zach Weintraub 17

Two teenagers, a bully and a submissive tag-along are in a dysfunctional friendship. Things get risky when they enter an empty house by way of a key left in the mailbox. polylite41@hotmail.com

11pm hip hop

Shadow Guardians Olympia underground hip hop collective.

Saturday 1pm

Seven Shorts 3:34 mins. New York City 2004

Harrison Ergo 15

A collection of short animations using stick figures in anime style. Clarkstown High School North sonic750x@aol.com

Our World of Communication 3 mins. Brooklyn, NY 2005

P.S./I.S. 41s Kid Witness News Team 8 to 15 Nowadays we have smaller and better devices providing faster paths of communication than ever before. But where we need to improve is in our own day to day skills of communication. jgoldsteinkwn41@earthlink.net

Totally Board 15 mins. Long Beach, CA 2003

Taylor Leach 11

A production crew of 1 to 10 year olds show from a kids point of view just how fun skateboarding and surfing are. trleach@juno.com

Super-Hero Super Squad 36 mins. Olympia 2004

Devin Spencer, Stella Rivet 21

A team of Super-Heroes teach children that anything is possible with the powers of imagination and creativity. TV series. Episode Two.

If This Is The Will of God… Who Needs God? 6:55 mins. New York City 2005

Carly Wolff, Laura Caccavo 16

This documentary focuses on the rights of a visual artist whose work was removed by a school official from an exhibit. The ensuing controversy, protest, and its aftermath are discussed in the film. Clarkstown High School North shoot323@optonline.net

Pet Store :51 mins. New York City 2004

Thomas Schuster, Mark Sanders 16

An evil dog finds an unusual way to stock the shelves of his pet store. Clarkstown High School North boeing2019@aol.com

Photobooth of Change 3:40 mins. Echo Park, CA 2004

EPFC Girls 13-18

Super8 experimental movie in a photobooth where folks are given the opportunity to express themselves. Echo Park Film Center poluesterprince@hotmail.com

Apple Tree 1:46 mins. Olympia 2003

Celena Adler 18

Short flash animation. doxin123@comcast.net

War of the Roses 30 mins. Olympia 2005

Ethan Grover 12

Medieval England, two houses fighting for the throne-England-battles-some blood.

Saturday 3pm

The Nice Girl Syndrome 3:08 mins. Northfield, IL 2005

Jenny O Kwon 17

It is a humorous short exploring the psyche of the Nice Girl. jennykwon17@yahoo.com

Do Not Let the Memories of Our Childhood Be Triggered by a Gun 1:40 mins. Brooklyn, NY 2003

P.S./I.S. 41s Kid Witness News Team 8-14

A P.S.A. about guns. P.S./ I.S. 41

The Butler, The Gardener, & The Heiress 7:30 mins. Olympia

The Jigsaw Video Group Alexa, Eden Jamie, Maxine, Montana, Scott, Sophie, Whitney

Mystery.

Homeless and Hungry in Brooklyn 9:53 mins. NYC 2004

DCTV's Pro-TV: Delcita Barnfield, Rowhel Forbes, Colleen Grogan, Hilford Hurst, Kevin Perez, Bryan Robinson, Shantay Taylor, Drayshon Trammell, La-Ron Tyrrell, Jessica Zapata 14-15

High School for Public Service teens take a look at homelessness in Brooklyn. DCTV Pro-TV

The Show 18 mins. Olympia 2005

Olympia Parks, Arts and Rec 16-18

Someone is trying to sabotage the Ultimate Game Show… who is it??? Mystery abounds.

Olympia Action Through the Ages 15 mins. Olympia 2005

Teens from YMCA Earth Service Corps-Anna O'Brian, Theron Guzoto, Saara Snow, Emilia Snow. and volunteers Tiffani Jensen and Caitlin Culler

An intergenerational film featuring commentary form elder community members from the Olympia area.  This film looks at building community awareness through community involvement.

Young Immigrants: Struggle to Freedom and Equality 11 mins. New York City 2004

MNN's Youth Channel: Honguin Liu, Hope Umoren, Violeta Mujezin, Ruzhi Chen, David Simkhaev, Jing Chen The personal everyday struggles, the dreams, and fears of recent immigrants in New York City. These youth will never forget how to value their pasts and homelands in order to succeed in the United States. The open testimonies of the youth not only demonstrate their dignity, but also the strength it takes to embrace one's history to make strides towards the future. MNN's Youth Channel youth@youthchannel.org

Bob and Tito 2.0 1min. New York City 2005

Marty Bergman 14

Do you have strange things up your nose? Did you ever have a splitting headache? Literally? Every whimsical question that was ever in you head may possibly be contained in this animated short, where Bob and Tito's heads are deconstructed and reinvented in many ways. cranebarrel524@yahoo.com

C: None of the Above 4 mins. Oakland, CA 2004

Andrew Baxter, Daniel Downey 17

A young man navigates a censored landscape, where only two viewpoints prevail. His opinion is censored by every media outlet and he decides to take matters into his own hands in the quest for freedom of speech. Youth Sounds Factory factory@youthsounds.org

Dude, Where's My River 30 mins. Nevada City, CA 2004

Synergia Learning Ventures various age

8 students investigate the Hetch Hetchy Water issue, from Yosemite National Park to San Fransisco.

Synergia Learning Ventures ropes@synergia.us

Saturday 5pm

Trinket 2:06 mins. Moss Lake 2005

Chris Boyer 20

Trinket is a short comedy skit between a store clerk and an irritable woman. slothpaladin@gmail.com

My Friend Elad 5:30mins. Los Angeles 2004

Mike Fishbein 16

Documents Elad Wassa, and Ethiopian Isreali who's story is told through the eyes and friendship of a young American boy. xtrmmike18@aol.com

Imaginary Friends 9:50 mins. Olympia, WA

2005 Amia Goetz and Leigha Zimmer 16

Chris, a teenage boy, is often troubled by the friendship of Alex, a boy he created. When Alex begins to corporealize, he realizes he's in a lot of trouble. Not only is Alex talking to Nick - one of Chris' real friends - but also Ben, Chris' boogeyman from the second grade, has returned to kill him - again. This time, Alex is physical and can't help him against the nightmarish creature.

DNC Vox Pops! 1:30 mins. New York City 2004

Nina Hazmic, Mike Sokol, Christen Cofer, Andrew Leon

A group of Youth Producers from Manhattan Neighborhood Network's Youth Channel hit the streets of Boston to talk with people to find out the ways the Democratic National Convention was affecting their city. MNN's Youth Channel

The Night Us Girls Went Crazy (If you watch this movie, I'll shave my head bald.) 13 mins. Olympia 2005

Olympia Girl's Circle Directors: Graciela Maria Lewis-Mendoza, Aila Penny, Maia Johnson, Lily Hoffman, Rheanna Murray, Ashley Kelly, Raelyn Piscl-Eckert, Keely Foster and Gryffen Murray 7-11

A first film attempt for this energetic bunch of fabulous Olympia girls. Oly Girl's Circle is a group of seven friends that have been meeting together once or twice a month to play, laugh, talk, sing and create for the last year. This is who they are. This is what happens when you give them a camera.

Dance me Dead 2:40 mins. Echo Park, CA 2004

Jessie Clavin 17

Annoying neighbors upstairs are dancing… but not for long…

Amicus 32 mins. Macon, GA 2004

Timothy Hall 15 A teenage boy attempts to reach our and help a troubled girl. tdh589@aol.com

My Brother the Chicken 3:21 mins. San Ramon, CA 2005

David Krolikoski 17

Two brothers, one suffering from mental illness, find difficulty in communication their love for each other. david@kike.com

Mr. Bufo: Ennui Strikes 1:34mins. Olympia 2003

Celena Adler 18 Short Flash animation.

Camp Sparky 33 mins. Olympia 2004

Devin Spencer 21 A documentary about the trials and tribulations of running a summer day camp for children with special needs. Not forgetting the strong bonds and the emotional gratification that comes from working with their children.

Saturday 7pm

“Congress Shall Make No Law…” The Patriot Act and the Bill of Rights 6:05 mins. New York City 2005

Laura Caccavo 16

A documentary comparing the Patriot Act (issued in 2001 by George Bush) to the Bill of Rights and hit it may or may not obstruct the foundations set by the Bill of Rights. Clarkstown High School North iheartfilm@verizon.net

Dead Cow Walking 2:24 mins. San Antonio, TX 2005
Sarah Garrahan 16
An animation about the slaughter-industry and a cute cow that comes face to face with it. abrokensound@hotmail.com

Love Charms of the Son of God 10 mins. Sebastopol, CA 2005

Clay Hickson 18

The tale of a man's eternal struggle in building a birdhouse… clayroy@sonic.net

Vicious Circle 7:11 mins. New York City 2004

Thais Fischer, Rachel Horsford, Sabina Khan, Tatiana Lam, Corina Leu, Nadine Mamane, Valerie Mazo, Sara Reichel, Gina Wolff

Investigates acts of violence committed in the name of hatred and feat. In the process, the youth producers unravel little known complexities behind what makes a hate crime unique in the U.S. legal system. This documentary imaginatively combines the stories of victims and activists with community-based research. Global Action Project

Four Days in Love 15 mins. San Antonio, TX 2004

David McGinnis 17

This comical send-up of the Wonder Years-style high school melodrama focuses on a guy, the girl he doesn't know he doesn't want, and bowling. davidmcg17@hotmail.org

When Wal Mart Comes to Town 15 mins. Olympia 2005

WAKOTE Club-Earth Service Corps 13 to 18

A film taking a non-biased yet critical look at the retail giant Wal Mart.

Headlines 13 mins. Olympia 2005

Lyle Klyne, Jacob Dobey, Nick Foley, Richard Yi, and Mike Bishop. 18

There have been strange occurrences happening throughout Mike's town. He's not sure who is behind them but he suspects the animals that are his neighbors play some role. Is Mike losing his mind? they seem so innocent!

The Jump Off 4 mins. New York City 2004

Global Action Project

Using the beats of Lil' Kim, youth producers create an empowering music video about the real issues affecting their community: from HIV/AIDS awareness to the effects of smoking on teens.

Americans Motivation to Bellydance 36mins. Olympia 2004

Stella Rivét 21

A documentary about American bellydancers of the west coast and why they decide to participate in the ancient Middle Eastern tradition.

Saturday 9pm

Should I? Should I not? 1:30 mins. New York City 2003

Leslie Acosta, Smill Alix, Elizabeth Arcos, Stephanie Castillo, Luis Cruz, Diana Del Rosario, Daniela Hiches, Imani James, Judith Jimenez, Heather Urena

A hard look at sexual pressure often faced by young women growing up in the city. Global Action Project

Elements 6 mins. Oakland, CA 2004

Paolo Sambrano 18

Elements enacts the entire cycle of teenage courtship from over forty different perspectives. Youth Sounds Factory

Prom Night 19 mins. New York City 2005

MNNs Youth Channel: Edwin Almonte, Lanaea Bailey, Michael Barbosa, Jennie Palone, Nia Cooper, Barbara Davis, Zaeer Hanish, Moises Morales, Thomas Pinckney, Lakiesho Torres, Nathaniel Platt, Tiara Frazier, Shawn Fred

Written, shot, and directed in collaboration with Manhattan Neighborhood Network's Youth Channel and will be used by Henry St. Settlement's PTI Program as an educational tool to raise HIV awareness among young people. MNN's Youth Channel

Comic 1:30 mins. San Antonio, TX 2004

David McGinnis 17

This comedy follows a young man in his quest to be taken seriously.

Cop Movie II 25 mins. Olympia 2004

Justin Taylor 18

A short movie shot in the span of 2 days as a cheesy cop revenge story that was created as we filmed. neonblue05@comcast.net

Decomposed Beauty 3 mins. San Antonio,TX 2004

aylor Johnson 16

This film compares human life to that of road kill rebel_without_cash@hotmail.com

Mister T 3:45 mins. Olympia 2003 Devin Spencer 21 Pitying fools since the beginning of time Millennium T a.k.a. Devin Spencer stars in a music video he wrote about icon Mr. T. mistert2k@hotmail.com

Waldo Busters 33 mins. Tacoma 2005

Isaac Olsen 19

Full length sci-fi farce. Something's rotten in the town of Tacoma, tiny spirits, come resembling John Goodman and Steve Earkle run amuck and towering robots impale young skaters on hooks. This is a job for Waldo Busters! scullisaac@yahoo.com

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